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Free Enterprise
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Digest
HB 462 enhances safety and mental health measures in public schools by updating security requirements and increasing funding allocations under the Foundation School Program. The bill requires each school campus to have at least one armed security officer or school marshal, with districts enrolling more than 200 students appointing additional security personnel or utilizing approved alternatives, such as remote-operated aerial devices with less-lethal interdiction capabilities. The bill increases the per-student school safety allotment from $10 to $100 and the campus allotment from $15,000 to $100,000. Additionally, it introduces a mental health allotment providing $100,000 per district, with extra per-student funding for districts serving educationally disadvantaged populations. These funds must support mental health services, training, and restorative justice programs. The bill also permits schools to use chaplains as part of mental health and behavioral services, enabling partnerships with community organizations to deliver these resources. The act takes effect on September 1, 2025.
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